The present invention relates to a toy figure with various pre-recorded audio outputs that are played back upon the activation of switches and a proximity sensor.
Toy figures have always been the mainstay as toys for young children. Included therewith, are figures that when activated by a user talk or sing in response thereto. For example, in some instances a switch may be placed within the figure that when pressed causes the toy figure to emit various sound bites or noises. In yet other figures, the figure will respond when a magnetic material, placed in another object, is in proximity to a magnetically activated sensor within the toy figure, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,652, and in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/307,578, filed on Dec. 2, 2002.
Nevertheless, there is always a continual need for improvements and novel features not found in the prior art. For example, the ability to provide a figure that includes multiple switches and a proximity sensor that when triggered, after triggering a switch, invokes various responses. The proximity sensor upon activation, after triggering a switch, invokes a response that is comprehendible to a child and at a low level that is audible when the figure is close to the child""s ear.
In one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a toy figure, which includes a body, a head, a tail, and a plurality of legs. The toy figure further includes a motor mechanism to move the head and tail. A circuit board is provided to control the motor mechanism and to store pre-recorded audio outputs that are emitted through a speaker. The toy figure also includes various switches positioned at different locations inside of the toy figure, which when triggered cause the toy figure to respond by emitting one of the audio outputs in a normal or high tone and/or cause the motor mechanism to move the head and tail. A feature of the present invention is that the audio outputs emitted when a switch is triggered are incomprehensible or sounds indicative of the figure""s character (for example if the figure is a dog then these audio outputs would be noises and sounds typically made by a dog).
The figure also includes a proximity sensor that upon activation, after a switch is triggered, causes the circuit board to playback and emit through the speaker a low toned pre-recorded audio output or sound, that is audible by placing the figure to the child""s ear. The low toned audio output is also in a language understandable by the child, such as English. The proximity sensor is activated when the figure is moved relatively close to an object, such as a child""s ear. The child""s desire to hear the lower toned sound causes the child to place the figure up against their ear, such that it appears that the toy figure is whispering, in the child""s ear, a message only to be heard by the child.
Various proximity sensors may be used such as a photo conductive cell sensor or other light activated sensor. Alternatively, an IR transmitter and receiver may be placed together such that the signal transmitted will be reflected against a surface, such as the child""s head, and received by the IR receiver triggering the lower toned response.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.